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Governor Privacy Notice

Under data protection law, individuals have a right to be informed about how our school uses any personal data that we hold about them.

School governors and trustees provide a vital role within our setting. Governors/trustees provide us with personal data and on occasion we share personal data with governors/trustees so that they can fulfil their obligations.

This privacy notice explains how we collect, store and use personal data about individuals who are governors/trustees.

The personal data we hold

We process data relating to those we appoint, or otherwise engage as governors/trustees, this may   processing data about current office holders, or retaining data about those individuals who are no longer in role.  Personal data that we may collect, use, store and share (when appropriate) about you may include, but is not restricted to:

  • Contact details and copies of identification documents, including names, addresses, telephone numbers, email addresses, passport and birth certificates, visa details and other contact details;
  • Date of birth, marital status and gender;
  • Next of kin and emergency contact numbers;
  • Bank account details (for the payment of expenses);
  • Appointment information, including copies of right to work documentation, references and other information included in a CV or covering letter or as part of the appointment process;
  • Qualifications and employment records, including work history, job titles, and professional memberships;
  • DBS Certificate number and date of issue, prohibition from teaching and management checks, disqualification from childcare declaration form;
  • Medical questionnaires and, where appropriate, information about an individual’s health;
  • Records of attendance at governing body and sub-committee meetings;
  • Records and outcomes of any disciplinary, complaints and/or grievance procedures or other performance issues;
  • Specimen signatures/signed mandates for delegated financial authority;
  • Photographs and videos of participation in Schools’ activities;
  • CCTV footage captured by the Schools’ CCTV system;
  • Vehicle details for those who use the Schools’ car parking facilities.

Special Category data

Some of the information we hold is what is classed as special category data. Special category data includes any information concerning racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, health, genetic or biometric data, and trade union membership. Where we need to process special category data we must fulfil an additional lawfully process, which is detailed below

Why we use this data

The purpose of processing this data is to help us run the School, including to:

  • Enable governors/trustees to be paid for any expenses they have incurred;
  • Enable appropriate organisational contact (for example, lists of governors/trustees for both internal and external use, including publication on the School’s website);
  • Allow for delegated financial authority (for example, cheque signing, bank mandates, contract signing);
  • Facilitate safe appointment of governors/trustees, as part of our safeguarding obligations towards pupils;
  • Support effective assessment and monitoring of governor/trustee performance;
  • Inform our appointment and retention policies;
  • Assist with management planning and forecasting, research and statistical analysis, including that imposed by law (such as diversity or gender pay gap analysis and taxation records);
  • Arrange travel and accommodation for training courses, meetings, conferences, excursions, trips, visits and tours;
  • Provide access to and use of the Schools’ IT systems and to monitor use thereof, in accordance with the Schools’ Acceptable Use Policy;
  • Order goods and services, including appropriate insurance and professional advice for the Schools;
  • Maintain relationships with alumni and the Schools’ community;
  • Meet the legal requirements of the Charity Commission and Companies House if necessary;
  • Ensure security of the School site (for example, governor passes, issue of access fobs) and including CCTV in accordance with the Schools’ CCTV policy.

Our lawful basis for using this data

We only collect and use personal information about you when the law allows us to. Most commonly, we use it:

  • When you have given us consent to use it in a certain way;
  • To fulfil a contract we have entered into with you;
  • To comply with a legal obligation;
  • To carry out a task in the public interest.

Less commonly, we may also use personal information about you where:

  • We need to protect your vital interests (or someone else’s interests);
  • We have legitimate interests in processing the data.

To process special category data we need an additional lawful basis. We will process special category data most commonly where:

  • We have your explicit consent;
  • The processing is necessary under social security or social protection law;
  • We are processing it in the vital interests of an individual;
  • We are providing health care or treatment under the responsibility of a health professional.

Where you have provided us with consent to use your data, you may withdraw this consent at any time. We will make this clear when requesting your consent, and explain how you go about withdrawing consent if you wish to do so.

Some of the reasons listed above for collecting and using personal information about you overlap, and there may be several grounds which justify the school’s use of your data.

Where we are processing data on a legal or contractual basis, if you choose not to share this data with us, we may not be able to carry out our obligations under our contractual relationship with you, or engage you as a governor.

Collecting this information

While the majority of information we collect from you is mandatory, there is some information that you can choose whether or not to provide.

Whenever we seek to collect information from you, we make it clear whether you must provide this information (and if so, what the possible consequences are of not complying), or whether you have a choice.

How we store this data

We create and maintain a personnel file for each governor in paper copy and/or electronic form on the Schools’ computer system. The information contained in this file is kept secure and is only used for purposes directly relevant to you holding the position of governor.

Once your appointment as a governor/trustee of the School has ended, we will retain this file and delete the information in it in accordance with our Retention of Records Policy, a copy of which is available by contacting the Business Manager or the Head Teacher at the School.

Data sharing

We do not share information about you with any third party, without your consent, unless the law and our policies allow us to do so.

Where it is legally required, or necessary (and it complies with data protection law) we may share personal information about you with a number of organisations and agencies that may include (but is not limited to):

  • All relevant local authorities – to meet our legal obligations to share certain information with it, such as safeguarding concerns;
  • The Department for Education;
  • Educators and examining bodies;
  • Our regulator, the Independent Schools Inspectorate;
  • Suppliers and service providers – to enable them to provide the service we have contracted them for;
  • Central and local government;
  • Financial organisations, such as HMRC;
  • Our auditors;
  • Survey and research organisations, including universities;
  • Police forces, courts, tribunals;

Other Information

There is more information about how we manage, store and protect data in the Data Protection Policy on the website. This also includes details about how to access your data, how to contact the Information Commissioner or our Data Protection Officer if you have a query or concern about how data is being used or retained.

This notice is based on the Department for Education’s model privacy notice for school governors, amended to reflect the way we use data in this school.

This Notice

The Schools will update this Privacy Notice from time to time. Any substantial changes that affect your rights will be provided to you directly as far as is reasonably practicable.